dissoluteness

[Eng. di olute; -ne .] License or loosene of manners or morals; di i pation, indulgence to exce in pleasure or vice; di olute conduct or manners. "But though there was little splendor there was much di olutene ." -Macaulay : Hist. Eng., ch. xv. dis-sol-û-tion, *dis-ol-u-cion, *dis-sol-ucion, s . [Lat. di olutio , from di olutus , pa. par. of di olvo to loosen, to di olve; Fr. di olution ; Sp. disolucion ; Port. di olução ; Ital. dis so luz i one .] [DISSOLVE.] I. Ordinary Language : IMG:content-0190.png:[ocr errors] 1. The act of loosing, liberating, or setting free. "The disolucion and seueraunce of the soule fro the body."- Sir T. More: Works , p. 77. 2. The act or proce of di olving, liquefying, or changing from a solid body to a fluid state by heat or moisture; liquefaction, melting, di olving. 3. The state of becoming di olved or melting away; liquefaction. "I am as subject to heat as butter; a man of continual di olution and thaw."-Shakesp.: Merry Wives of Windsor, iii. 5. IMG:content-0191.png:[blocks in formation] 6. The destruction of any body by the separation of its parts. "The elements were at perfect union in his body; and their contrary qualities served not for the di olution of the compound, but the variety of the composure."South. 7. Destruction; a breaking-up or ruin of anything compacted. "To such a di olution that monarchy was peculiarly liable."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng ., ch. xxiii. 8. The separation or breaking up of the parts of a body, animal or vegetable, by natural decomposi tion; decomposition. 9. The resolution of the human body into its constituent elements; death; the separation of the soul from the body. "Death, which is the di olution of the body."- Clarke: Sermons, vol. i., ser. 78. 10. The loosening, breaking, or di olving of any bond or ties. "Di olutions of ancient amities."- Shakesp .: Lear, i. 2. 1. The end, destruction, or breaking up. "Not so much a di olution of this present life, as a change of it."-Hall: Contempl.; Of our Latter End. 12. The act of breaking up, di olving, or dismi ing of a meeting, a embly, or body of men. "That tremendous reflux of public feeling which had followed the di olution of the Oxford Parliament"Macaulay: Hist. Eng ., ch. xi. IMG:content-0192.png:[blocks in formation] 1. Chem.: The resolution of any body into the smallest parts by chemical agency. 2. Med.: Di olution of the blood. That state of the blood in which it does not readily coagulate on cooling, when removed from the body, as in malignant fevers. 3. Eng . Polit.: The act of di olving or putting an end to the existence of a parliament. It differs from a prorogation , which is the continuance of a parliament from one se ion to another, and from an adjournment , which is its continuance from one day to another. A di olution is the civil death of a parliament; and this may be effected in three ways: (1) By the will of the Sovereign. (2) By the demise of the crown. This di olution formerly happened immediately upon the death of the reigning sovereign, but it being found inconvenient to call together a new parliament immediately on the inauguration of the succe or, and dangers being apprehended from having no parliament in being in cases of a disputed succe ion, it is provided by several statutes that the parliament in being shall continue for six months after the death of any sovereign, unle sooner prorogued or di olved by the succe or. (3) A parliament may be di olved or expire by length of time. As the constitution now stands the parliament must expire, or die a natural death, at the end of every seventh year, if not sooner di olved by the royal prerogative. *dis'-sol-u-tive, a . [Lat. di olut ( us ), and Eng. suff. -ive .] Having the power or property of di olving; di olvent, di olving. "The air might promote the di olutive action of the menstruum." -Boyle : Works , v. 500.